Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1887-05-05
MILIHEIM PA. THURSDAY. MAY s.. 1887

| al thtln went 10 the bluSc al lIlt IoIdSl'"I
where could hear him chopping and split
! ting with ashatchct. Presently hc return
cd, hearing several sticks in his hand.
| "'Now, my lad, said jed, were going
To stake you down here, stretched across
the track, and see ii you'll get up any more
| vigilance committees
Their object WAS now only too apparent,
and WAS nothing more nor less than Ia fas-
| ten me down ON the railroad track, 50 that
the first train that came along would run
over and crush me Ia death
Il tool, in the whole horror of the situa-
! tion al once, and wildly protested
! i" Surely, il you are hors.-thieve', yol
must have some heart, and beg of You not
! Ia torture an honest man in this way "
| "But | might as well have talked Ia the
stones along the grade. One of the thieves
had been busy whiting away on piece of
wood, while the above conversation was
taking place. He now advanced and
spoke
jed, just hold on 10 him, and I'll stop
! his talking 50 much, and as | was grasped
I in the powerful arms of the aforesaid Jed,
the second rufiian forced my mouth open,
and roughly fitted the piece of wood upon
which he had been whiting between my
jaws, making il utterly impossible for me
to speak, and painful! for me even 10
breathe Then was quickly thrown 10 the
earth, and dragged directly across the rail
road track.
"Whilc one of the Williams held me down,
although struggled with all my might, the
| other drove "A large wooden peg, or stake,
into the ground, close To the outside of one
of the iron rails. Then making loop at
one end of a cord, he passed il over my feet,
drew il taut, and fastened the other end 10
the stake.
"He next proceeded TO prepare another
rope in a similar manner, after driving a
second stake on the outside of the other rail
This second loop he passed over my head,
drew il as tight as possible, without actual
~ strangling me, and fastened the end TO
the stake just driven.
Il now found myself in "A horrible posi-
tion-with hands and feet tied another
rope was slip-nooSed around my ankles and
fastened To a strong stake, and slip-noose
around my neck was drawn so taut that |
could scarcely breathe, with the end of the
rope fastened to a stake on the opposite
| side
| Il was literally stretched across the iron
! rails, with my head resting upon one rail-
while my ankles were stretched across the
other. and the least struggle on my part al
! most produced strangulation.
| " Now. young frllcr. we wish you much
| Joy in your theory of catching hosS-thieveS.
| Your vigilance committee won't be apt TO
! do you much good, anyhow, said one of the
men.
| Wal,you'll have time TO mediate ont,
said the other ruiiian, The express train
won't be along under m hour and "a half
/ yet, and in your position You can do a pow
erful sight Of thinking in that time
Il could not answer, and heard the ruff
fans depart without being able TO make a
sign or utter groan.
"The horror of my situation burst full
upon my senses. now that | was left alone.
1T was only too true-the express train
would bc along in an hour and half
II recollect thinking how delightful II
would seem, in comparison, if could have
the privilege of standing up unfettered be-
fore whole gang of deSpcradocs, single
| handed and fight for my life, even though /
was sure to lose it.
''rhen again thought of this being n flag
station-no train would be apt to be tagged
at eleven o'clock at night, even if il Were !
was lashcd down SO far from the depot that
it would be under full headway again be-
| fore il reached me
IL thought of my mother and sister far
away in New York, and wondered how
! long il would bc before they would hear of
my death, or if they would ever hear Of If,
Again my thoughts took another chan.
mel, would my death he instantaneous, or
was fatcd To suffer physical agony-agony
akin to what was suffering in mind ?
| Why was | singled ont, as it We're, To under
| go this terrible fate, instead of another
| "Then, with revulsion Of feeling,
thought of Him who had stilled the storm,
and who rehuked His companions 10y say
ing why are We fearful, o We of little
| faith ,"
"My mind somehow reverted to the above
passage again and again, and | seemed 10
grow strong in faith. There were a hun
drei ways by which might he saved yet,
before the dreaded train arrived. At least,
| If must, would die like man, with no
foolish blasphcmy.
Il struggled to move but the struggle on
~ seemed TO tighten the cords.
"Suddenly shock of horror ran through
me with such intensity THAI | came near
losing my senses. As before mentioned, my
head lay upon one of the rails of the rail
road-track, my left ear being pressed close
! down upon the iron, and had rs yet been
unable to turn myself over in the least, on
account of the rope around my neck hold
ing my herd in 50 firm position,
Lying thus, with my ear to the track, I
heard, or rather felt, faint jar communi-
! eating to the iron rail.
"With horror unutterable l listened,
with an unnatural fascination born of de-
spair.
eyes, the rail seemed te tremble and
now n far-away, low, murmuring sound
| could be heard. 1t was the express train
| coming
perhaps it was still miles away, but it
was drawing nearer.
81 could now, in my recumbcnt position,
with my ear pressed upon the track, dis
tinctly hear the far-away rumble made by
| the train.
"Fear and agony lent me additional
strength. l ierlled my feet up with all my
might, and came very near strangling my
self by the oti;ort
''Then | lay perfectly still for a full min
ute, endeavoring to catch my breath. My
desperate effort to break loose had the effect
| of ipbt i,,cr +l,a +n